Cooling-tower.



C. V- NORDBERG- COOLING TOWER- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23 I917- 1,287,402. Patented Dec. 10, 1918. r

2 SHEETSSHEET I l/villi v1 eon u akfoznawl C. V. NORDBERG.

COOLING TOWER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23,1917.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- CARL VICTOR NORDBERG, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

COOLING-TOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed June 23, 1917. Serial No. 176,513.

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that I, CARL VICTOR Nonnmane, a citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of silverbow and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Cooling-Tower, of which the followor sump 3 depending from the central p'oring is a specification.

The present invention appertams to a novel and improved cooling tower, and aims to provide an improved structure of that character for efficiently cooling water through the agency of air. I v

A' further object of the invention is the provision of a cooling tower of the inclosed stack type, embodying means for spraying water therein to trickle or percolate down wardly, and novel means' for the upward flow of air through the cooling elements down which the Water flows.

A still" further object of the invention 1s the provision of novel means for catching the water which drips from the cooling elements, to convey the water to the well or sump, and to distribute the air throughout the area of the tower.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de-- scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.'

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:'

Figure 1 is a fragmental elevation of the tower,.portions being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view, portions being broken away to illustrate the superposed parts.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, the tower embodies a base, constructed of concrete or other suitable material, and embodying a circular floor 1, an annular series of piers 2 at the margin of the floor, and a center well tion of the floor. The floor preferably slopes to the well, so that any water dripping on to'the floor will drain into the well or sump, from which the water is carried by an outlet pipe 4: having its receiving end depending within-the 'well. The pipe 1 passes through the wall of the well, although it can extend into the well in any desired manner;

Mounted above the base upon the piers 2 which extend above the floor 1, is a stack 5,

constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material, and the walls of which are imperforate to inclose the cooling elements.

The lower end of the stack is open and.

spaced above the floor 1 for the reception of air from the atmosphere, the draft within the stack resulting in the air being drawn into the lower end thereof to pass upwardly therein. As a convenient means for supporting the stack, feet 6 are secured thereto, said feet being preferably of angle iron and arranged in pairs, with their upper ends abutting an annular angle iron brace 7 secured to the stack for transmitting the weight of the stack to the feet, and bracing the structure. The feet 6 rest upon a flat 4 supporting ring 8 seated upon the piers 2, and provlded at its outer edge with an upturned flange 9, providing a battle surrounding the annular air inlet slot 10 between the lower end of the stack and the ring 8. The' slot 10 is only one of a series of air inlets,

as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In order to support the cooling elements within the lower portion of the stack, gratings 11 are disposed within the lower end of the stack, and are supported by beams llhaving their ends seated on the ring 8. The cooling elements 12 are arranged in superposed tiers or courses 2, one'upon the other, and embody'upright tubular cells in staggered relation, through which the water and air can flow downwardly and upwardly, respectively, past one another. These cooling elements serve to break up the water and air, whereby they come into intimate contact in flowing past'one another in divided streams.

The water to be cooled is sprayed or showered over the cooling elements, the water inlet pipe 13 extending through. the wall of the well 3, as illustrated, and having an upstanding discharge terminal 14 extending upwardly within the Stack through the cooling elements. A rotary water distributer or spray head 17 is mounted forrotapipes or arms being apertured for distributing the water throughout the area of the cooling elements, and causing the distributer lowermost baflle surrounds the well 3. The.

baflles are supported by radial inclined girders or supports 21, which, as illustrated, are composed of plates having their upper edges stepped, irons 523 secured to their lower edges. ,The lower ends of the girders are supported by the floor 1 around the well 3, while the upper outer ends of the girders are supported by the piers 2. Angle irons 24 are secured to the girder plates 22 along the stepped edges thereof, for supporting the bames 20, which can be secured on said angle irons 9A. The battles in being spaced apart, provide concentric annular air inlet slots 25 between the lower and upper edges of the companion baiiles and under the lower edge of the lowermost baffle, whereby the air can flow under the stack through all of the slots 10 and 25, to distribute the air throughout the area of the cooling elements before passing upwardly into them. The base is open between the piers 2, for the flow of air from the atmosphere underthe battles, which will, as above indicated, distribute the air, which flows under the bafiles and upwardly past the inner edges thereof.

The baflies also serve to catch the water which drips from the cooling elements, the baflies sloping from their outer to their, inner edges to direct the water inwardly, and being provided with upstanding annular flanges 26 at their inner edges for catching the water and preventing it from dripping from the inner edgesof the baffles, excepting at such points where said flanges are provided with openings 27, permitting the water to flow downwardly from one baflie to another, until it finally flows into the well or sump. The girders 21 and openings 27 are preferably located at alternate piers 2 where the air draft is of least. force. In order to support the discharge terminal 14 of the water inlet pipe, the bottom of the well can have a post 28 upstanding within the well, and supporting the elbow 29 which connects the discharge terminal 14 with the water inlet pipe 13.

and having angle I In operation, the water supplied through the inlet pipe 13 is discharged from the dis tributer or spray head 17, to trickle down through the cooling elements 12, and simultaneously the air, due to the draft created by the heat in the water, is caused to travel upward, thus mixing with the descending Water, within the cooling elements. The water is thereby cooled, partly through the heat given upand absorbed by the air, and

partly through the air getting saturated with water vapor. The air passes on up through the stack, which may be of any suitable height, according to the draftdesired. The water drips from the cooling elements and the gratings 11, and is caught by the baflles 20, from which it flows through the successive openings 27 into the well 3. ,By restricting the flow of water through the openings 27 of the baffles, this'will avoid the saturation of the air as it enters the stack from under the baflies.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A cooling tower embodying a base having a floor, piers, and a central well, a stack supported by the piers, water distributing means within the stack, girders supported at their inner ends upon the floor andat their outer ends by the piers, and concentric bafiies supported by the girders, said battles being concentric and in vertically spaced overlapping stepped arrangement, the baffles sloping inwardly and having upstanding flanges at thelr inner edges provided with openings at certain points for the fl'ow of water from one bafiie to another to the well.

2. A natural draft cooling tower including a floor having a well toward which "it is inclined, spaced piers extending around the floor, a tower supported by the piers, there being air inlets between the piers and between the tower and piers, stepped inclined girders supported by the floor and piers. annular series of concentric bafiles supported by the girders and disposed in stepped and lapped relation, each baflle having a retaining flan e along its lower'edge provided with an outlet opening, the openings'in the flanges being out of vertical alinement, a grating extending across the lower portion of the stack and above the baiiles, a supply pipe extending upwardly from the well and above the grating, a spray head at the top of said pipe, and an outlet pipe extending from the well.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' C. vIoToR Non-Dianne.

\Vitnesses EARLE N.- GENZBERGER, F. C. MORTON. 

